Guarantor Subsidiaries (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 184,901	$ 233,226	$ 371,437	$ 215,230	$ 370,245	$ 282,894
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	32,787		50,296
Content library	151,068		199,868
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	59,807		84,709
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Total current assets	428,563		706,310
Property and equipment, net	451,346		520,865
Deferred income taxes	9,290		6,443
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	627,324		638,690
Other long-term assets	11,510		19,075
Investment in related parties	0		0
Total assets	1,528,033		1,891,383
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable	138,123		236,018
Accrued payable to retailers	105,989		134,140
Other accrued liabilities	129,873		134,127
Current portion of long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	20,595		103,889
Deferred income taxes	33,154		23,143
Intercompany payables	0		0
Total current liabilities	427,734		631,317
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	1,022,803		681,403
Deferred income taxes	29,370		58,528
Total liabilities	1,479,907		1,371,248
Commitments and contingencies
Debt conversion feature	0		1,446
Stockholders’ Equity:
Preferred stock	0		0
Common stock	470,157		482,481
Treasury stock	(997,697)		(476,796)
Retained earnings	576,589		513,771
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(923)		(767)
Total stockholders’ equity	48,126	96,798	518,689
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	1,528,033		1,891,383
Reportable Legal Entities | Outerwall Inc.
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	130,943		315,250	163,679		242,489
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	1,633		2,029
Content library	0		37
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	38,342		67,664
Intercompany receivables	33,298		180,100
Total current assets	204,216		565,080
Property and equipment, net	142,818		163,747
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	249,720		251,150
Other long-term assets	6,801		7,156
Investment in related parties	877,715		815,243
Total assets	1,481,270		1,802,376
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable	13,573		17,336
Accrued payable to retailers	59,908		71,085
Other accrued liabilities	55,472		59,444
Current portion of long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	20,186		103,519
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Intercompany payables	246,470		315,615
Total current liabilities	395,609		566,999
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	1,003,465		661,627
Deferred income taxes	34,069		45,307
Total liabilities	1,433,143		1,273,933
Commitments and contingencies
Debt conversion feature			1,446
Stockholders’ Equity:
Preferred stock	0		0
Common stock	584,670		596,995
Treasury stock	(997,697)		(476,796)
Retained earnings	462,965		407,959
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(1,811)		(1,161)
Total stockholders’ equity	48,127		526,997
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	1,481,270		1,802,376
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	13,127		9,639	14,057		0
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	29,515		45,672
Content library	147,708		196,695
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	26,526		28,234
Intercompany receivables	385,821		355,418
Total current assets	602,697		635,658
Property and equipment, net	272,176		320,296
Deferred income taxes	4,722		0
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	377,604		387,540
Other long-term assets	4,335		11,499
Investment in related parties	3,841		4,825
Total assets	1,265,375		1,359,818
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable	122,393		215,703
Accrued payable to retailers	33,123		48,126
Other accrued liabilities	71,347		71,607
Current portion of long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	(2)		3
Deferred income taxes	39,238		35,292
Intercompany payables	103,388		154,565
Total current liabilities	369,487		525,296
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	18,173		18,748
Deferred income taxes	0		13,190
Total liabilities	387,660		557,234
Commitments and contingencies
Debt conversion feature			0
Stockholders’ Equity:
Preferred stock	0		0
Common stock	225,729		225,016
Treasury stock	0		0
Retained earnings	651,986		577,568
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	0		0
Total stockholders’ equity	877,715		802,584
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	1,265,375		1,359,818
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	40,831		46,548	37,494		40,759
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	1,639		2,595
Content library	3,360		3,136
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,023		960
Intercompany receivables	0		5,093
Total current assets	46,853		58,332
Property and equipment, net	36,352		36,822
Deferred income taxes	9,289		6,412
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	374		420
Investment in related parties	0		0
Total assets	92,868		101,986
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable	2,157		2,979
Accrued payable to retailers	12,958		14,929
Other accrued liabilities	3,054		3,076
Current portion of long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	411		367
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Intercompany payables	69,261		70,432
Total current liabilities	87,841		91,783
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	1,165		1,028
Deferred income taxes	22		0
Total liabilities	89,028		92,811
Commitments and contingencies
Debt conversion feature			0
Stockholders’ Equity:
Preferred stock	0		0
Common stock	12,393		12,393
Treasury stock	0		0
Retained earnings	(9,441)		(3,612)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	888		394
Total stockholders’ equity	3,840		9,175
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	92,868		101,986
Eliminations and Consolidation Reclassifications
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	0		(354)
Accounts receivable, net of allowances	0		0
Content library	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(6,084)		(12,149)
Intercompany receivables	(419,119)		(540,611)
Total current assets	(425,203)		(552,760)
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	(4,721)		31
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	0		0
Investment in related parties	(881,556)		(820,068)
Total assets	(1,311,480)		(1,372,797)
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued payable to retailers	0		0
Other accrued liabilities	0		0
Current portion of long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	0		0
Deferred income taxes	(6,084)		(12,149)
Intercompany payables	(419,119)		(540,612)
Total current liabilities	(425,203)		(552,761)
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	0		0
Deferred income taxes	(4,721)		31
Total liabilities	(429,924)		(552,730)
Commitments and contingencies
Debt conversion feature			0
Stockholders’ Equity:
Preferred stock	0		0
Common stock	(352,635)		(351,923)
Treasury stock	0		0
Retained earnings	(528,921)		(468,144)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	0		0
Total stockholders’ equity	(881,556)		(820,067)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$ (1,311,480)		$ (1,372,797)